Sturgill Simpson x “The Promise” (best song cover of 2014)

Rarely do you hear a cover song that transforms the mood and feeling of an original to such a degree that it is as though the song is completely new. On this stripped down country version of “The Promise”, originally performed by When In Rome and featured at the end of Napoleon Dynamite, Sturgill Simpson takes the original to new heights of longing and desperation. Eliminating the catchy, dance-y synth of the When In Rome version and foregrounding his gritty, earth-worn vocals, Sturgill gives a timeless quality to the song. But don’t let me tell you what to think, listen to his rendition. Also, when he digs deep and lets go at 3:40… it is so gut-wrenching and beautiful. a.a.